Utensil Mat

ABSTRACT

The Utensil Mat is a paper product or a thin plastic film attached to or laid upon a table for the protection of silverware or eating utensils to keep them from being exposed to germs or bacteria before and during a dining experience. Design specifically for silverware only.

The Utensil Mat is made of a low-density polyethylene material in film format, and is produced in a size often-and-one-half inches in length by four-and-one-half inches in width by sixty-five-millionths-of-one-inch in depth (10½″×4½″×0.00065″).

Printed on the surface of the Utensil Mat and positioned from the left to right, are the schematic outlines of a four-tined dinner fork, a butter knife and a tablespoon.

On the opposite side of the Utensil Mat is a mild coating of Polyorganosiloxane Gum with thixotropic properties.

Applied atop this adhesive is a sheet of wax paper.

The Utensil Mat can be made of various applicable plastic materials in film format, including but not limited to low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), cast polypropylene (CPP) and plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PPVC).

The Utensil Mat can be made in variations that use a vegetable-based bio-plastic of Poly-lastic acid (PLA), and to ensure proper environmental biodegradability without toxic residue. In such variation, the Utensil Mat can use low-density polyethylene (LDPE) with resin identification code four (4) of the Society for the Plastics Industry (SPI), High-density polyethylene (HDPE) with resin identification two (2) of the SPI, or other applicable materials.

The Utensil Mat can also be made in washable, reusable formats.

The Utensil Mat can also be made of paper and it can be in various sizes, shapes, rectangle, square, round, star and other common and uncommon shapes. The Utensil Mat can be made in variations in which no adhesive material is used, and in which the Utensil Mat was designed and made to hold upon its hosting surface by its own temporary adhesive properties and or frictional static only.

A user may remove the wax paper from the rear of the unit, and then apply the Utensil Mat to a desired location on the table in their eating-place. He or she may then apply their dining utensils upon the Utensil Mat.

When finished eating, the user may simply peel the Utensil Mat off the table, and dispose of it along with other waste items. If made from paper it may be put in the recycled bin after use.

The Utensil Mat may be in variations in which no utensils are depicted on its surface.

The Utensil Mat may or may not bear various logos, images and icons, including those of registered trademark and or copyright status.

The Utensil Mat may or may not bear various coupons as a form of advertisement and revenue enhancement.

The Utensil Mat can be produced with the logos and or descriptive text of its using environment(s).

The Utensil Mat can be produced with its purpose in use and or established health and sanitary benefits printed directly upon its surface.

The Utensil Mat may or may not have companies logos, coupons, phone numbers, names, places, persons or things on it for different purposes but mainly to advertise their company or corporation or LLC or individual entities, or educational literature.

The Utensil Mat may be made of various colors and patterns.

The Utensil Mat can be made in formats for dispensing directly by the serving establishment, in which the item is packaged with disposable utensils.

The Utensil Mat can be made in formats for dispensing directly from a roll with multiple attached-yet-separate units.

The schematic outline printed upon the Utensil Mat may bear images of various utensils and in various quantities.

The Utensil Mat can improve the sanitary placement conditions of dining utensils directly within their environment of use.

The Utensil Mat provides a buffer between dining utensils and dining tables.

The Utensil Mat may prevent accumulated germs or bacteria upon the surface of dining tables from making contact with dining utensils.

The Utensil Mat responds to an established need.

The Utensil Mat may prevent the cross-contamination that can easily occur when dining in public areas, and which is due to transfer of table germs upon dining utensils.

While many table surfaces can accumulate germs and bacteria from previous users as well as the food items of those users, and thus leave later users subject to salmonellas, clostridium perfringens, campylobacter and even E. coli, however the Utensil Mat can protect the dining utensils from making contact with those sickening and deadly germs.

The Utensil Mat can benefit the many environments in which multiple diners use the same dining surfaces, such as but not limited to school cafeterias, hospital cafeterias, military halls, restaurants, buffets and other food service environments.

The Utensil Mat can help these environments satisfy established goals.

The Utensil Mat can help prevent the common exchange of germs and sickness amongst school-aged youth, the resistance systems of whom may not yet be fully developed.

The spot where the Utensil Mat was put can be easily cleaned with ordinary household cleaning materials, or sanitizer, should any residue ever adhere to its point of placement, and also does not leave any stains.

The Utensil Mat can be packaged, and in various quantities, for retail sale, including in formats specifically for use at home.

Many eating establishments do not properly sanitize their tables after each use, they commonly use hot water and may use the same towel in a eight hour period. 

1. The utensil mat configured to hold and protect silverware from a table top, comprising of a top layer of low-density polyethylene material in a film format and a bottom layer comprising of an adhesive made to stick to a table surface.
 2. The utensil mat of claim 1, wherein can be made of various applicable plastic materials in film format, including but not limited to low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, cast polypropylene and plasticized polyvinyl chloride.
 3. The utensil mat of claim 1, wherein the material may also be comprised of a thin sheet of paper.
 4. The utensil mat of claim 1, wherein is produced in a size of ten-and-one-half inches in length by four-and-one-half inches in width by sixty-five-millionths-of-one-inch in depth.
 5. The utensil mat of claim 1, wherein one may use various removable pressure-sensitive adhesive materials on its back surface, compromised of but not limited to polyorganosiloxane gum with thixotropic properties, styrene-isoprene styrene and styrene-butadiene-styrene.
 6. The utensil mat of claim 1, wherein can be made in variations that use a vegetable-based bio-plastic of poly-lastic acid, and to ensure proper environmental biodegradability without toxic residue.
 7. The utensil mat of claim 1, wherein can be made of a low-density polyethylene with resin code four of the society for the plastics Industry, high-density polyethylene with resin identification two, or other applicable materials.
 8. The utensil mat of claim 1, wherein can be made in washable, reusable formats.
 9. The utensil mat of claim 1, wherein may be made in various sizes, shapes, colors and textures.
 10. The utensil mat of claim 1, wherein further may comprises printing on said paper or plastic sheet.
 11. The utensil mat of claim 10, wherein the printing is on one side of the paper sheet.
 12. The utensil mat of claim 10, wherein printing is on both sides of the paper sheet.
 13. The utensil mat of claim 11, wherein may or may not bear various logos, images and icons, including but not limited to those of registered trade mark and or copyright status.
 14. The utensil mat of claim 11, wherein may bear various coupons as a form of advertisement and revenue enhancement.
 15. The utensil mat of claim 11, wherein can be produced with its purpose in use and or established health and sanitary benefits printed directly upon its surface.
 16. The utensil mat of claim 1, wherein can be made in formats for dispensing directly by the serving establishment in which the item is pre-rolled with included silverware and a napkin.
 17. The utensil mat of claim 1, wherein can be made in formats for dispensing directly by the serving establishment, in which the said item is packaged with disposable utensils.
 18. The utensil mat of claim 17, wherein can be made in formats for dispensing directly from a roll with multiple attached-yet separate units.
 19. The utensil mat provides a buffer between dining utensils and dining tables, keeping the utensils from making direct contact with the dining tables.
 20. The utensil mat of claim 18, wherein may prevent the common exchange of germs and sickness between diners from using utensils that are directly placed on a table where the table has not been cleaned with a sanitizer formula properly after many diners have been previously.
 21. The utensil mat of claim 18, wherein helps prevent the cross-contamination that can easily occur when dining in public areas, and which is due to transfer of table germs upon dining utensils. 